For Your Own Protection(32)

‘You really should stop drinking so much,’ Matt said.

Eddie shook his head. He held up the pint. ‘It’s the only thing I’ve got left. I’ve lost everything but this.’

‘Your wife, she left you?’

‘Oh yes, she did. She was just looking for an excuse to get me out of the way. That’s what I think. Do you know, I was hardly out the door before she had another man in there – in her bed, no doubt. And you know, the guy, I knew him. Her friend’s husband. They’d had dinners at our house, we’d been out for lunch, we’d even been on holiday together. And then he screws me, and he screws her. Can you believe that?’ He shook his head, eyes burning with rage. ‘She set me up and got just what she wanted. It was probably all planned, by the two of them.’

Matt couldn’t help but see his own situation reflected in that story. But the idea that Beth had paid this woman to seduce him still didn’t ring true.

‘Have you tried to get help? You know, about the drinking.’

Eddie smiled tightly. ‘Look, are you going to let me watch my TV and drink my beer?’

‘Okay,’ Matt conceded. ‘I’ll leave you be.’ He got to his feet, wanting to encourage the man again to get help. But as he looked down at Eddie, surrounded by empty beer glasses, transfixed by the TV screen, he was lost for words.





CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE


After returning from the bookshop, Rachel had spent the rest of the day in her flat with the outer door locked and the landline unplugged. She didn’t want to stay there, but she was more scared of being outside. The night dragged, her sleep fractured by fearful thoughts.

In the morning she stayed hunkered down, feeling safer behind the locked door. She looked around the bedroom, which she had at least cleared following the break-in – the other rooms were still a mess. She thought about Jim.

Am I overreacting?

Maybe it wasn’t Jim on the stretcher . . .

The man in the bookshop and the break-in – they probably have nothing to do with Alex’s death . . .

How she wished she could talk to Michael. But he was still uncontactable. She’d left him a message on his mobile, telling him about the burglary, but had had no response. Surely he’d have picked up her message.

Where the hell could he be?

She stared at her mobile before finding the number for the Page One bookshop online. Before she could change her mind, she keyed in the number and waited for someone to pick up.

‘Hello, Page One.’

Rachel recognised the voice. It was Joanna, Jim’s shop assistant. They had spoken about their shared love of Emily Bront? on more than one occasion.

‘Hi, I was hoping to speak to Jim.’

‘Oh, I’m afraid he’s not here right now. Can I take a message?’

Rachel cursed herself for not being more direct. ‘Sorry. Is he okay?’

A pause. ‘Is that Rachel?’

‘Yes.’

‘Sorry, Rachel, I wasn’t concentrating. I’m really sorry, but Jim’s in hospital.’

‘What happened?’

‘Heart attack. He just keeled over in the store. Fortunately, he was serving customers at the time and one of them was a nurse, so they looked after him until the ambulance arrived.’

Rachel had overreacted. There hadn’t been any suspicious circumstances. ‘How is he?’

‘He’s doing well. I heard from Marge this morning, and she says he’s in good spirits.’

‘Thank God for that.’

‘I’m seeing him this afternoon. I’ll pass on your best wishes.’

‘Thank you. Just tell him I’m so pleased he’s okay. And get well soon!’

‘If you’re free and would like to go, I know there’s no one there with him for the first hour of visiting this evening.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes. I know he’d love to see you. He’s at St Barts. Visiting starts at seven.’

‘Thanks for letting me know.’

Rachel’s spirits were lifted by the news that Jim was fine and that her paranoia had just been playing tricks with her mind. The relief galvanised her to tackle the rest of the house, although it was hard work, such was the chaos the intruders had left behind. She’d have to get someone in to fix the bathroom plasterwork and fit a new cabinet, but with some effort, she cleared the floor. The living room and kitchen were easier, and it felt good to get back to something like normal. She treated herself to an hour on the sofa enjoying an episode of Blood Red Horizon, the smash-hit Scandi crime drama.

By later that afternoon, she had decided that she would visit Jim in the evening. She really wanted to see him.



He watched her flat from across the street, leaning back against the wall as he lit a cigarette and took a long drag. With the other hand, he held the book he’d purchased at the weekend.

Brighton Rock.

He decided to stay for another half an hour. But if she didn’t venture out, he was happy to come back tomorrow. And the next day.

He was being paid handsomely for his time, after all.

And it was worth waiting for just the right moment.





CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


Matt exited the Tube at Embankment and approached Eden. The domed forty-first floor, the top and most exclusive section of the skyscraper, was where Gabriel had chosen to meet.